Obi-tuary as Headline is Bad Behaviour Writes Thomas Peretu

Thomas Peretu is a Yenagoa-based journalist and public commentator, in this piece titled Obi-tuary as Headline is Bad Behaviour, takes a swipe at Sam Omatseye’s recent article on the supporters of Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

It may interest you to know that I just distilled from an article entitled Menace of the herd written by Olatunji Ololade in The Nation newspaper that the life of Sam Omatseye, Chairman of the editorial board of the paper is under threat. Apparently, this is not the first time he’s been on this unenviable trajectory. Thankfully, the threat may not be from gun trotting terrorists in the forests of Zamfara but most likely from the very many pen touting “goons” prowling the social media space. So I think. This is a bad optics, no doubt.

However, this is hardly a surprise to discerning minds, abreast with the inordinate political noise, often authored by the likes of Sam Omatseye and his tribe of intolerant itinerant journey men bearing soiled cassock of journalism. They specialise in emasculating the truth beyond the sinuous of objectivity right into the cataracts of malice. The great writer enjoys banding whimsical missiles aimed at paralysing the brand credits of perceived opponents of his preferred presidential candidate for 2023. By the way, the name of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a sweet music to his ears.

This Itsekiri born wordsmith with huge followership trades, I daresay in invectives and errant falsehood invigorated by the heightened tenor of evocative political rhetoric of the moment. The umbrage and disjunctive war of attrition often bear the imprimatur of the likes of Sam Omatseye and his co-traellers. And this has placed a dent on a sparkling, rather salutary profession I cherish dearly, and I guess you too.

Peter Obi in the eye of the storm – Obi-tuary as Headline is Bad Behaviour Writes Thomas Peretu

Sam’s convoluted dissertations are as quixotic as they are perfunctory. His thesis lack the merit of objectivity. And so, they cannot stand the scrutiny of true professionalism. Indeed, his one-sided tirades and tantrums are the toxins that have polluted and perfused the political stratosphere thereby engendering untoward reactions from ignoble fellows, high on the side of base instinct. These persons may not exercise the patience to subject his faulty premises to intellectual prognosis. Hence, they fall back to their area of competence as it is done in the jungle. They exhibit their angst through violence.

It is on record that Sam’s unbridled arrogance and intolerance to opposing views as canvassed by other supporters, coupled with his arrogation of superiority of knowledge to himself as though he is the modern day Socrates of Constantinople or even Cicero leaves him open to opprobrium. And of course, vulnerable to boot.

Obi-tuary as Headline is Bad Behaviour Writes Thomas Peretu – Sam Omatseye is one of the finest writers this country has ever produced, he must not allow his talent to mislead him to perdition. At the same breathe, he should not devalue his talent on the altar of perishable pottage. I pray that he does not deliberately soil his career. – Thomas Peretu

Sam’s unrestrained attacks on particularly, Peter, the rock Obi, a towering figure in the political firmament is antithetical to common sense, decency, decorum and good old ethics of our professional. The man’s obsessive polemics gives him out as a slave to filty lucre. He exemplifies a fellow picking junks and leftovers from the master’s table. Such a person paints a glossy picture of a dishonorable hireling. He has over time attained the highest height as an attack bull dog breeding fat from his master’s handout. No man with such intellectual and scholarship should descend this low in order to curry the favour of his pay master. If you ask me, I”d say this is not the way to market a presidential candidate, at least not in the mould of Baba Tinubu. Baba should be more honourable than this jankara marketing tactics.

How on earth would any person in his right frame of mind explain the dubious coinage– Obi-tuary as the title of his article in the Nation. I think this is mean and offensive to say the least. It smacks of mischief. It is the height of irresponsible journalism. And libelous too. If the books are to be rifled.

Democracy, I beg to offer thrives on multiplicity of voices, opinions and doctrines, if you understand my drift here. Those who do not necessarily share in your political catechism should not be seen or equated with infidels. Neither are they your enemies. That some persons disagree with you on matters of principle does not imply that they are your enemies. Far from it. In fact, it is the diversity of opinions that enhance the beauty of democracy. Do you know it would be silly and boring, if we all belong to one party with one traffic Lane. Haha.

While I do condemn political intolerance in any form or guise, I must also hasten to add that settling political scores with the threat of death is not acceptable. It is wicked and insane to indulge in issuing threats because of divergent political views. Politics is about healthy debate about national issues. We cannot continue to stultify the political environment and expect our democratic experiment to grow and blossom. If we must have a robust democratic engagement, then we must of necessity broaden the space to accommodate all and sundry. Don’t forget, we are a rainbow nation.

We must learn to tolerate opposing view points as we gallop day by day towards 2023. Sam Omatseye is one of the finest writers this country has ever produced, he must not allow his talent to mislead him to perdition. At the same breathe, he should not devalue his talent on the altar of perishable pottage. I pray that he does not deliberately soil his career. Sam must be chary and catholic in taste and outlook and that implies tolerance in a single word. Let’s be more orthodox in our approach to matters of politics. After all, the live in a very small world. Besides, the fact that the political landscape in Nigeria is so fluid, and mobile. That’s why politicians switch camps with ease like a masquerade would undress without blinking an eye. Let’s learn from history.